Penguin Random House Canada, 2021
A journalist in Washington, DC, Liz has turned lemons into lemonade after her husband walked out on her a decade ago. She has a good job, some romantic nibbles (some better than others), a good relationship with her college-age son and has come to terms with the shock and heartbreak of her divorce. Or so she thinks. One day she receives a submission for the column she edits from her ex-husband’s current wife — a.k.a., the other woman. That’s the start of a comic and serious journey in which Liz finally comes to terms with her past and present.
Her Turn is an immensely readable, joyful novel about fidelity and forgiveness that explores one woman’s second act in life and the ties that still bind her to the first.
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Praise for Her Turn
“Hilarious, wise and humane, Her Turn follows one woman’s twisting path through a maze of love and betrayal and forgiveness. It is infused with the joyful spirit of Nora Ephron and lit with a charm all its own.” — Elizabeth Renzetti
Her Turn has received some strong advance reviews from Canada and the US, including a place in the lists of recommended books for summer reading in Maclean’s (20 books you should read this summer), Chatelaine, CBC, The Globe and Mail and Reader’s Digest.
A very positive review in Publisher’s Weekly concludes, “Liz lands as a strong character with complex motivations and a believable personal evolution who transcends the often caricatured figure of the jilted ex-wife. With its fruitful examination of betrayal and forgiveness, Ashenburg’s engrossing latest should appeal to fans of Nora Ephron.”
From an equally positive review in Kirkus Reviews: “Ashenburg writes candidly about a complex character who’s allowed to screw up in big ways. Liz is never shamed for wanting love, sex, or companionship, although she often goes about it the wrong way … Many of Liz’s misadventures on her journey are comically cringeworthy, such as a visit to a ‘cuddle party’ or the dates with a poet who won’t stop talking about his bowels. A look at betrayal and forgiveness that nicely balances humor and depth.”
From Booklist: “This portrait of a contemporary woman (set firmly in 2015) is a striking analysis of journalism, adultery, divorce, parenting teenagers, and caring for elderly parents; perfect for fans of Emma Straub.”
Deborah Dundas, Books Editor of the Toronto Star, wrote “It’s a book with something to say that’s also a joy to read.”
Brett Josef Grubisic praised Her Turn in the Toronto Star for its “accomplished breeziness” and Katherine’s ability to “ratchet up the novel’s farcical elements while simultaneously meditating on forgiveness and moral growth.”
Author and journalist David Hayes wrote a nice, short rave: “I recently finished Katherine Ashenburg’s novel, Her Turn, & highly recommend it. It has the breezy tone of chick lit but there the comparison ends. It’s beautifully crafted & much deeper & more nuanced….”